Belize (British Honduras)

The main languages spoken in Belize are:
English - the sole official language, spoken by ~62.9% of the population; Belize is the only country in Central America with English as its official language.
Spanish (~56.6%), Creole (~44.6%), Maya (~10.5%), German (~3.2%, spoken by the Mennonite community), and Garifuna (~2.9%) are also widely spoken; shares sum to more than 100% as many people speak more than one language.
English is the sole official language of Belize.

Geography

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 22,966 sq km

Land boundaries:
border countries: Guatemala, Mexico

Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding, especially in the south

Geography - note: the only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean

People

Population: 397,483-441,000 (2022-2025 est.)

Nationality:
noun/adjective: Belizean(s)

Ethnic groups: Mestizo 52.9%, Creole 25.9%, Maya 11.3%, Garifuna 6.1%, East Indian 3.9%, Mennonite 3.6%, White 1.2%, Asian 1% (2010 est.; shares exceed 100% due to multiple responses)

Religions: Roman Catholic 40.1%, Protestant 31.5% (Pentecostal, Adventist, Anglican, Mennonite, Baptist, Methodist), none 15.5% (2010 est.)

Languages: English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9% (2010 est.)

Literacy: total population 87.9% (2022 est.)

Population distribution: approximately 25-30% of the population lives in the former capital, Belize City; over half the population is rural

Government

Country name:
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras

Data code: BH

Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

National capital: Belmopan

Independence: 21 September 1981 (from the UK)

Economy

Economy - overview: upper-middle-income economy; tourism has become the mainstay; current concerns include heavy foreign debt, high crime rates, high unemployment amid a youthful population, growing involvement in the regional drug trade, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America

GDP (purchasing power parity): $6.414-6.67 billion (2025 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2026)

GDP - per capita: $15,363-15,980 PPP (2025 est.)

Inflation rate: 0.294% (2018)

Unemployment rate: 8.3% (2025 est.)

Population below poverty line: 41.3% (2009)

Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil

Currency: Belize dollar (BZD), pegged to the US dollar at 2:1 since 1978

Military

Military branches: Belize Defense Force (BDF), responsible for external security; the British Army has maintained a presence in Belize since independence, providing jungle training to UK and international forces (2025)